PNS | Hyderabad
The first TPCC president, Ponnala Laxmaiah, submitted his resignation from the party to AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge. The resignation is a severe blow to the Congress at a time when the party is getting ready to announce its candidates and launch bus yatras across the state.
The 79-year-old Ponnala who served the Congress for 45 years and was a minister for 12 years said that the party’s new leaders have put the Telangana unit of the Congress up for sale. He said that he was unable to bear the insults and taunts inside the party and so had decided to quit.
Ponnala said that the high command did not give him appointments and was not even ready to meet him. What would the condition of common party workers be if I who was a PCC president did not get an appointment of the high command, he asked. He said the party lost elections across the nation in 2014 but Telangana Congress leaders made him resign his TPCC president post after making him a scapegoat. The same party gave additional posts to TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy although the party lost the 2018 elections, he added.Speaking to the media at his residence, Ponnala, who turned emotional, said that he felt proud being a member of Congress all these days. He said that he had reached this level although he came from a poor family and that no BC individual from Telangana won elections three times continuously.
He said that he did not resign expecting posts. “I have no answer for the future. Some are assuming as they liked. A campaign is going on stating that I am joining the BRS. However, I have not made any decision yet. Don’t you (the media) know about the sale of Congress tickets? Are you telling me to join the BRS?” he said.
Revanth: Just before dying why did Ponnala change party?
Revanth Reddy made some offensive comments against Ponnala Lakshmaiah for quitting the Congress. He said, “Ponnala Lakshmaiah should feel ashamed to change his party. Just before death what happened now, what disease did he get? The party gave him everything. He lost by 40,000 votes when he was PCC president, the second time he lost by 50,000 votes. If he was with the people, they would have elected him. People recognise Ponnala because of the Congress. What is this to do before death at the age of 81? This is an unforgivable offence.” Revanth demanded that Ponnala should withdraw his resignation unconditionally and that tickets have not been finalised.
KTR: Will invite Ponnala to join BRS
Minister KT Rama Rao said that he will go and invite Ponnala Lakshmaiah to join the BRS. KTR said, “If he is interested to join, I will go and invite him tomorrow. Soon, many big people will join the BRS party. After the announcement of the candidates, there will be fight at the Gandhi Bhavan. There is information that there is an agreement between three people for the post of CM in the Congress. The CM will change for every 1.5 years. They are yet to decide on who will be CM in the last six months.” Meanwhile, the BRS may offer Janagaon ticket to Ponnala Lakshmaiah from where he wanted to contest. Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and Muthireddy Yadgiri Reddy fought for the BRS ticket which was almost confirmed to the former. Muthireddy was given TSRTC Chairman’s post. Sources couldn’t confirm if Palla will be sidelined or not.
